Receptacle for holding coupons



U. G. & W. P. BECK. REGEPTAULE FOR HOLDING COUPONS. No. 544,280. atented Aug. 13,1895.

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NITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

URIAH G. BECK AND l/VARREN F. BECK, OEELMIRA, NEW YORK.

REC'EPTACLE FOR HOLDING COUPONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,280, dated August 13, 18.95. Application filed March 26, 1895. Serial No. 543,200. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:-

Be it known that we, URIAH G. BECK and WARREN F. BEcK, citizens of the United States, residing at Elmira, in the county of Chemung and State of New- York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Receptacles for Holding Coupons, &c., of which the following is a specification.

Our improved receptacle or ticket-case is especially designed for use in connection with pass-books which are provided with removable coupons that are detached and retained by the merchant each time that a purchase is made.

Various kinds of ticket-cases or couponholders have heretofore been devised; but We do not find any of them adapted for use in connection with a pass-book such as described in our application for patent, Serial No. 543,199, filed simultaneously herewith. In that application we have shown a pass-book in which the pass-leaves are provided with detachable coupons provided with blank spaces in which to enter the initial of the clerk, the number of the book, which is the number of the customer, and the total of the purchase as it oc-v curs, a coupon being detached each time that; a purchase is made. The customer retains the pass-book While the merchant retains the coupon, and it is necessary to have a receptacle provided with compartments, one for each customer, in which to file the coupons in such manner that they may be readily in spected to ascertain the condition of, the customers account in the absence of the passbook.

According to our present invention We provide a series of cells, recesses, or compartments, each containing a coiled spring having on its outer end a disk or plate to receive the coupons as they are filed, and at the top of the cell or compartment there is secured a threaded ring with which engages a screwthreaded top, cap, or cover having a central opening through which the coupons may be pressed, and which is of such asize that while permitting the coupons to be pressed inwardly and passed below the cap it will prevent them from passing out again. The spring is frustum-shaped, its smaller end being located at the bottom of the cell, the arrangement being such that the spring may be pressed fiat, thus taking up only a small space, at thesame time being strong enough to always lift the coupons to the top plates or slabs may be connected together and spread out so that all the cells or receptacles shall be exposed to view, and also so that the plates may be folded to occupy the least possible space.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View, with parts broken away, of a coupon-holder constructed in accordance with our invention and composed of three plates or slabs hinged together in the manner above described. Fig. 2 is a view of the same, partly in section and partly in end elevation, some of the parts being shown by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a view, on an enlarged scale and in section, of one of the cells or coupon-compartments, and it shows also the coupons detached from a passbook which the compartment is adapted to hold.

Each plate A, A, and A is provided with a series of rows of cells or compartments. Around the top of each cell is secured a screwthreaded ring I), with which engages a correspondingly screw-threaded flange c of a cap or cover 0, which is provided with a large central opening 0', large enough to permit coupons to be inserted through it when bent by being pressed in the center so that its edges will rise.

To the bottom of each cell is secured the smaller end of a frustum-shaped spiral spring D that carries at its upper end a disk or cap d of slightly larger diameter than the open ing 0. The spring is so shaped that when compressed to its full extent it will lie Hat and thus take up but little room in the cell and permit it to hold a large number of coupons. It is very elastic and is easily compressed, but is strong enough to lift the disk d and always hold the top coupon against the under side of the thin sheet metal cap or cover 0 under the opening 0, so that it may be easily inspected from the outside. Each of the cells is constructed and equipped in the same way. They are consecutively numbered from left to right, as indicated, these numbers corresponding with the numbers given to the customers and to their pass-books.

It will be noted that when the several sections of the coupon-holder are opened all of the compartments are exposed to view and the figures on the top coupons are plainly visible. Thus by glancing at the compartments the condition of each and every customers account may be quickly determined. These devices make up what we call the ledger, and the coupon exposed to view in each compartment always indicates the condition of the customers account.

It sometimes happens that a customer does not bring his pass-book with him when making a purchase, and the merchant is not able to place a coupon in the customers compartment. In such case he takes a ticket F, which is usually colored and consecutively numbered, from an order-book and places it on top of the cap 0 without pressing it through the opening 0. Over this ticket he places a cover E, which fits tightly over the cover 0. \Vhen the customer makes another purchase the merchant will observe that there is a colored ticket on top of his receptacle, and he will then make a proper entry in his pass-book, fill out properly a coupon, detach it and place it in the regular way in the customers compartment.

The plate A is connected with the plate A by hinges of the following construction: At each end of the plate A is secured a bar at having a lug at extending laterally at right angles with the inner face of the plate. These two lugs a a at opposite ends of the plate A are connected to similarly-formed lugs on bars a secured to the adjacent ends of the plate A. The pivots a which connect the lugs a on the plates A and A, are arranged a considerable distance from the faces of the plates, so that when the plates A and A are folded the distance between them shall be somewhat greater than the combined thickness of the plate A and the fixings of the receptacles in plates A and A, so that the plate A may be arranged between the plates A and A when the sections are folded, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The plates Aand A are connected together in a similar way at X, but the lugs 00 on these hinges are shorter, so that the plate A may be folded close to the plate A", being separated therefrom a distance only great enough to accommodate the coverings of the cells or compartments. The plate A may then be turned over, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, onto the plate A When thus folded the plates will occupy a comparatively small space, but when spread out they will expose to view a large number of compartments which will accommodate a large number of customers coupons.

Fig. 3 of the drawings shows how the coupons are arranged in the compartments. \Ve have not described specifically how the coupons are marked and spaced. Details of the coupons are shown and described in our application for patent above referred to, and the system of filling them out is there clearly described.

The coupons, it will be observed, are somewhat larger than the openings in the caps C, but being flexible they may be pressed through these openings and will bend sufliciently to enter the openings, but when once within the cells they will straighten out again, and when pressure is relieved and the disk d rises the coupons will rest against the under side of the cap and will not pass through the openings.

We claim as our invention- 1. A receptacle for coupons, consisting of two plates or slabs hinged together so as to fold one upon the other,'each formed with a series of recesses, around the top of each of which is secured a screw threaded ring, to which is removably secured a screw-threaded cap having a large central opening through which coupons or tickets may be inserted, and a plate or disk within the cell beneath the cap and pressed toward the cap by a spring,

the fixtures of said recesses or cells being close to the body of the slabs or plates to per mit of the two sections being folded together, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a series of three or more plates or slabs provided with a series of cells or compartments having caps or covers arranged around and projecting a short distance above the cells, and hinges for connecting the plates and slabs together, having laterally projecting lugs for holding the plates apart to accommodate the fixtures of the cells, the lugs of two plates beinglonger than those connecting other plates in order that the plates may be folded and lie fiat upon each other to occupy the least possible space.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names.

URIAII G. BECK. \VARREN F. BECK. Witnesses:

A. B. GALATIAN, G. W. BECK. 

